Director Jim Strouse decided to write an entire film tailor-made for Jessica Williams in the lead. The result is a lighthearted indie comedy that shines—especially through the effortlessness with which Williams commands each scene. … read more

Brett Haley is one of the few filmmakers who appears genuinely interested in the lives of people over fifty. In this year’s The Hero, he takes another close look at faded glory and second chances. It’s a quiet film with well-placed spurts of humor and vulnerability, and it’s a continuing testament to the acting abilities of the legendary Sam Elliott.

It doesn’t take long for Bushwick’s visceral action to kick in—after about five minutes of everyday routine, our characters are thrust into a deadly conflict that is raging across Brooklyn. … read more

For many career comedians, the transition from sketch comedy to motion pictures isn’t always successful. Usually we end up with a decent idea that is frantically held together by dick jokes, but that’s not the case with Brigsby Bear. … read more

In Manifesto, Cate Blanchett takes center stage in a stunning homage to some of the most emphatic declarations of 20th-century art and art history. Blanchett takes on 13 different roles, examining how these truths hold up in our contemporary world. … read more

Comprising a series of vignettes shot entirely in a nicely textured and nostalgic 16mm, Person to Person brings an unassumingly hilarious and real, life-sized take on several characters as they contend with both the humdrum and the unexpected. … read more